Reel mount and adapter for spinning rods



March 1, 1960 F. w. RITCHIE REEL MOUNT AND ADAPTER FOR SPINNING RODS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 11, 1957 M w H mm W Z h a M N C 0 2 4 "W q 4 U 0 0 M M 8 W I 1E 2 k M 6 m 4 I 6 M W a w w Hz 6 w \3 E H H w :7, 2M 8 M M i F B n A 7 W e m 6 O 94/? W W M 7 f a o 7 W 3 3 4 n Y O u 6 6 1. I 4 m V 0 W 07 w f m 4 8 4 0 m ///6 J0 0 KM v a F u 3 M W M M flu F 2, m m 4 F 3 F 6 r 7 A N March 1, 1960 F. WNRITCHIE 2,926,450

REEL MOUNT AND ADAPTER FOR SPINNING RODS Filed Jan. 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig 7 R/GHT HAND Frederick W. Rife/H1? 4 4 LEFTHAND LEVER INVENTOR. LEVER 76 Y M I ;"76

REEL MOUNT AND ADAPTER FOR SPINNING RODS Frederick W. Ritchie, Macon, Application January 11, 1957, Serial No. 633,683

4 Glaims. (Cl. 43-22) This invention relates to a simple and efiicient reel torod adapter which is expressly constructed and designed for ready attachment to the handle portion of a spinning rod, said adapter being such and suitable in construction that it enables the user of a conventional-type spinning rod to aptly and satisfactorily mount either a side delivery or, alternatively, a forward delivery reel for practical use on said rod.

The forward delivery reel under consideration is provided, as usual, with a manually actuatable rearwardly located pivotally mounted release and line hold lever; whereas the side delivery reel herein considered has a manually depressible control button located on one side of the reel housing. These types of reels are desirable for use but cannot be effectually mounted and used with spinning rods, that is, as they are now constructed. Therefore, it is the primary object of this invention to make it both possible and feasible to mount and use these and similar types of reels on currently used spinning rods. As set forth in the statement of the invention by attaching the herein revealed adapter to the spinning rod, the rod is thus conditioned and readied so that the aforementioned reels may be put to serviceable use.

More specifically, the rod-to-reel adapter is interposed between the hand-grip of the rod and reel and the reel is mounted and clamped in place on the adapter and suspended below the latter and rod. To this end the adapter is saddled in place and fastened by the usual rings or collars which are already on the rod beneath the rods hand-grip. A primary trigger-like lever is operatively mounted on the adapter and has a remote controlled finger-piece which is conveniently arranged to enable the user to trip and operate the lever. This lever transmits motion to a secondary angularly disposed lever and the latter (which varies in design as needed) applies the force required to operate the line check and release means with which the reel (whichever type is used) is provided. This novel and compatible combination will, therefore, enable the user of fishing rods and reels to adopt and use a reel having a finger operated release and line holding device with ease and reliability by reason of the fact that it locates the remote controlled fingerpiece in an accessible ready-to-function spot.

In carrying out the concept the preferred adapter comprises a triple part frame, the upper member thereof constituting the saddling means. In practice, this member is long enough that the attaching rings are far enough apart that they are out of the way and do not hamper the act of comfort-ably catching hold of the hand-grip and said member simultaneously. The lower frame member is situated in spaced parallelism below the upper frame member and is equipped with suitable means which facilitates attaching the conventional-type base of the reel thereto and consequently serves as the reel mount and hanger. It has other functions too which will become evident later in the description. These two frame 2,926,456 Patented Mar. '1, 1960 connectorand the latter, is fashioned into a finger-grip and cooperates with the remote controlled finger-piece.

' The lower bar-like frame member serves not only as the reel mount and reel clamping means, and means of support for the cooperating primary and secondary levers, it also provides the means of support for a keeper bracket forthe primary lever and, too, it provides a bearing for a rock shaft on the primary lever and rocking cradle-like fitting, whereby an operating connection between said levers is thus had.

Novelty is also predicated on the structural adaptations above touched upon and wherein the bearingequipped rear end of the mount is such that it accommodates and in fact is housed in a cylinder-like cradle, the end portions of the cradle being mounted for rotation on a rock shaft and the rock shaft serving to key the cradle on the mount.

parts or members are centrally joined by an intervening Then, too, novelty is predicated on that phase of the concept wherein practical structural provisions are made for operatively mounting two or more different types of secondary levers and utilizing the one primary lever as the principal remote control means of transmitting motion and forces to the secondary levers regardless of which type or" secondary lever is brought into play.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

in the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a spinning rod, a side delivery reel and a rod-to-reel adaptershowing the construction and use thereof;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged central longitudinal sectional view through the adapter by itself with certain elements appearing in elevation and showing a fragmentary portion of the attaching base of the reel;

Figs. 3 is a section on the horizontal line 3-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a left hand operated secondary lever;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of lever (see Figs. 1 and 3);

Fig. 6 is a view on the vertical line 6-6 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation, similar to Fig. 1, showing a forward delivery reel wherein the line release and hold device or means is on the rear and wherein a diiferent secondary lever is used;

Fig. 8 is an exaggerated view on the vertical line 8--8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a perspective viewof the aforementioned primary remote control lever by itself; and

Figure 10 is a perspective view of the aforementioned cradle by itself.

in both Figs. 1 and 7, where the rod is depicted, the rod is denoted generally by the numeral 12. It is a conventional type spinning rod and has a hand-grip 14 and shiftable or slidable ring-like reel attaching collars 16. The side delivery reel in Fig. 1 is denoted by the numeral 18 and the forward delivery reel is denoted in Fig. 7 by the numeral 20. The rod-to-reel adapter or conversely, the reel-to-rod adapter is denoted in ageneral way by the numeral 22. It is such in construction that it makes it possible for one to attach either the reel (not shown) 1-8, the reel 20, or an equivalently constructed reel to the handle of the spinning rod 12,. These reels 18 and 20 are typical 'of other similarly constructed and performing reels which are on the market. The side delivery reel 18 is provided centrally and on either the right or left side with a spring returned press button 24 which is referred to broadly as line release and hold means and perhaps some times as a manually actuatable line brake control. As before mentioned this type of reel is not conveniently a right hand operated usable on the hand-grip 14'of'the spinning rhd. Anti so 48 functioning as shown.

.in position in Figs. 1 and it is also with the type of reel which has a manually actuable line hold and release which takes the form of a pivoted lever 26. The attaching base of the reel 18 is denoted at 28 while the corresponding attaching base of the reel 20 is denoted at 30.

The adapter 22 is characterized by a rigid one-piece frame and the upper frame member 32 is elongated and channel-shaped in cross-section and provides a saddle-like attaching member. This member corresponds somewhat to the base portions on the reels 18 and 20, that is, the base portions 28 and 30. It will be noticed, however, that this member 32 is much longer than is ordinarily the case. The end portions 34 and 36 are such that the usual collars or rings 16 serve to embrace and hold the same in position shown in Figures 1 and 7. The idea in making the member 32 long is to provide sufficient space on the handgrip allowing the latter to be grasped in such a way that the rings 16 do not interfere with the hold which is necessary. The lower frame member 38 is in spaced parallelism relative to the member 32 and it has many purposes as will be seen. It is of substantially semi-circular cross-section seen in Figure 8. Both of these frame members 32 and 38 are connected together bya connecting bar 40 which is shaped to satisfactorily join the central portions of the members and also to function as a finger-grip. In use one wraps the hand, so to speak, around the hand-grip and places the middle finger in the finger-grip leaving the index finger free to function in a manner to be described.

The rear end of the underneath side of the reel mount and suspending member 38 is provided with a fixed socket 42 for reception of the end portion of the reel base 28, the opposite end portion of this base is held in place by readily applicable clamping means. This means comprises a sleeve (Fig. 2) 44 capped over the end portion 46 of the mount 38 and having suitable clamping fingers The sleeve is carried by the threaded shank 50 of the bolt which is threaded into the socket 52, the head of the bolt being knurled as at 54. The socket member 42 and the complemental parts 44 and 50 provide means which lends itself to attaching and suspending either form of reel 18 or 20 or an equivalent construction (not shown).

Regardless of the make or type of reel which is to be attached to the hand-grip 14 by way of the adapter, the mechanism on the mount 38 has certain common characteristics. That is to say the primary lever 58 remains unchanged. As seen in Fig. 9 this lever comprises a substantially U-shaped member having a central reach portion 60, a lateral rear. end portion 62 and a forward lateral portion 63 somewhat parallel to the portion 62. The latter portion 62 constitutes a rock shaft and is provided with a clearance notch 64 which will be later described. At the juncture of the reach portion 60 and the rock shaft there is a depending trip and camming finger 66. The forward portion is merely a convenient bend to carry and properly position a suitably shaped and arranged finger-piece 68. The finger-piece is shown 7 in relation to the fixed fingergrip 40 all as brought out in Figs. 1, 2 and 7 in particular.

The rear end portion of the mount is provided with a transverse hole which provides bearing 70 in which the rock shaft 62 is removably mounted for angular rotation.

It seems advisable to mention here that, generically speaking, the primary lever means 58 is operatively supported on the mount 38 primarily by way of the bearing and rock shaft and the finger-piece 68 provides a remote control for transmitting force from the index finger of the user to the camming and trip finger 66. This brings us to the point of introducing the aforementioned secondary lever. Actually there are at least two such secondary levers herein disclosed, the one which is denoted by the numeral 72 (Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive) and the simpler one which is denoted by the numeral 74 in Fig. 7.

As is perhaps already clear the secondary lever 72 is such in construction that it serves to transmit the motion and forces from the remote contrpl finger-piece 68 to the pushbutton 24. On the other hand the lever 74 functions to operate the lever-type arrangement having the control lever 26 in Fig. 7. Reference will be made at this time primarily to Figs. 1 to 6 and in this connection attention is now invited to Fig. 4 which shows a left hand operated lever 72a and then to Fig. 5 which shows the aforementioned lever 72 which is for right hand operation. Each iever has a free end portion 76 of blade-like form which is suitably constructed and opposed to the button 24 so as to press the button mechanically. The upper end of the lever, which is vertical at 78, provides a journal and this is journaled in the vertical bearing 80 (Fig. 6) and it has a clearance notch 82 which cooperates with the non-notched portion of the rock shaft in the manner seen in Fig. 2. The oblique angled portion 84 is such in angularity and position that the sweep of the trip-finger 66 which bears against it in the manner shown in Fig. 1 accomplishes what is desired. That is to say, by wrapping the hand around the hand grip 14 and partially around the frame member 32 and placing the middle finger in the seat of the finger-grip 40 and the index finger behind the finger-piece 68, the latter is lifted which results in lifting the adjacent portion 63 from the cross-notch 86. This results in turning the rock shaft 62 and rocking the finger 66 against the oblique angled bend 84 and the vertical lifting motion is now translated into motion in a plane which is horizontal or at right angles to the vertical lift and hence the blade like terminal 76 presses against the button 24 to operate it.

The numeral 88 (Figs. 3 and 8) designates a bracket which is attached to the convex upper side of the mount 38 by way of a setscrew 90 cooperating with a slot 92 in the bracket itself. At the right hand end in Fig. 8 the bracket is provided with a knob 94 and a detent or dowel 96 fitting into a keeper socket 98 therefor. By loosening the setscrew and lifting up on the knob and releasing the detent from its keeper seat the bracket can be slid from right to left in Fig. 8. At the left hand end the bracket is provided with a stirrup-like guide and partial support 100 for the reach portion of the primary lever.

Reference is now specifically made to the aforementioned cradle 102 which is seen in Fig. 10. This comprises a substantially cylindrical shell or housing 104 which is constructed to fit over the drilled bearingequipped end portion of the mount 38 in the manner shown for instance in Figs. 2 and 3. In the end walls are holes 106 and 108 through which the rocker shaft 62 extends, that is the end portions thereof as seen to advantage in Fig. 3. The rock shaft thus serves to key the cradle in place and also the end portions provide journals on which the bearings 106 and 108 rotate. On the end wall 110 there is an actuating lug 112. On the intermediate portion there is a depending internally screw threaded socket member 114. This member serves to accommodate the upper screw thread end (not detailed) of the aforementioned alternate form of lever 74 as seen in Fig. 6. The lower end of this lever is constructed as at 116 to provide operating association or connection with the aforementioned lever 26. It will be seen therefore that the aforementioned trip-finger 66 cooperates with the actuating lug 112 in the manner shown perhaps best in Fig. 7 thus giving this finger 66 a double function, that is the function of serving as a trip and cam in the manner seen in Fig. 6 and as a trip or actuating element for the lug so that the lug in turn rotates the cradle and swings the socket member 114 in a manner to cause the secondary lever 74 to operate as intended. It is believed that Fig. 7 shows the construction and operation of the lever 74 for the forward delivery reel having a rear line release and hold lever 26. On the other hand it is believed that Figs.

l to 3 show the other form of the invention in which the same trigger-like primary lever 58 serves to transmit motion to operate the secondary lever 72. Where a left hand lever 72a is employed there is a lug which is fixedly mounted on the left hand side of the cradle and is denoted by the numeral 118 in Fig. 6.

It will be evident that the cradle 1G2 slips over the end of the frame member or mount 38 and is held in place by the rock shaft 62 passing through holes in each end of the cradle. The cradle is operated by the aforementioned lever, that is the primary lever 5'8, and the tripfinger 66 cooperates with the lug 112.

The lever means 58 is held partly in place by the keeper and shift assembly or bracket 88.

It is repeated that for forward delivery line reels with the release lever at the rear it is necessary to screw the secondary lever 74 into the socket member 114. For side line delivery reels with the release button on the side (Fig. 1) this is done by loosening the screw 9% which locks and holds the bracket 88 in place. It is necessary to catch hold of and lift the knob 94 raising the pin 96 (Fig. 8) out of the keeper socket 98 and to then shift the bracket toward the right end of the slot 92. This adjustment slides the rocker shaft 62 outwardly to align the notch '64 with the vertical bearing hole 80 whereupon it is possible to insert the vertical journal portion 7-8 until its notch 82 aligns with the shaft 62. Holding the parts in this interrelated position the bracket 88 is shifted back in place which means the other end of the slot 92. This moves the shaft 62 and places the clearance notch 64 out of line with the vertical bearing hole 80 and puts the shaft in a position to hold the notch '82 of the lever in the functioning position seen in Fig. 2. By tightening the setscrew 90 the bracket is restored to its intended or original position as shown in Fig. 8.

As already mentioned two types of secondary levers 74 and 72 are shown. With other reels (not shown) the types of levers which would serve as substitutes for 72 and 74 would vary as is obvious.

Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a reel having line hold and release means, a reel-to-rod adapter comprising a one-piece rigid frame embodying a generally straight elongated upper frame member which is adapted to be attached to a spinning rod, a lower frame member disposed in spaced parallelism below and coplanar with said upper frame member, a connecting member integrally joining the respective central portions of the upper and lower frame members to hold the same in spaced relation, said connecting member being longitudinally curved and providing a stationary finger-grip, means carried by the forward and rearward end portions of said lower frame member by way of which an adjacent portion of a reel may be attached to and removably suspended from the lower frame member, and finger operated remote control means comprising a horizontal primary lever disposed alongside of and pivotally mounted on said lower frame member and equipped at its forward end with a finger-piece located in a conveniently operatable position in front of said finger-grip, a secondary lever complemental to said primary lever and swingably mounted on a rearward end portion of said lower frame member and lateral to said,

primary lever and depending therefrom and having a free lower end portion opposed to and cooperable with the line hold and release means on said reel, both of said levers being wholly exposed and visible and also fee of direct linking connection, and an operating and motion transmitting connection between adjacent cooperating portions of said levers, said primary lever being a permanent part of the motion transmitting means and said secondary lever being an independent and separable memher so that it may be removed Whenever necessary or desired and replaced by an interchangeable replacement lever.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, and wherein said rimary lever embodies a lateral rear end portion providing a rock shaft, said rock shaft being mounted for angular rotation in a bearing provided therefor on the rear end portion of said lower frame member.

' 3. The structure defined in claim 1, and wherein the secondary lever is provided at an upper end with ajournal mounted for rotation in a bearing provided therefor at the rear end portion of said lower frame member, said rock shaft having an associated depending trip finger at the outer end of the rock shaft, and said trip finger being releasably but operatively cooperable with an adjacent median portion of said secondary lever to impart movement to the secondary lever.

4. A reel-to-rod adapter comprising a frame having an elongated upper frame member attachable to a handle of a spinning rod, an elongated lower frame member coplanar with and spaced below the upper member and having means thereon to attach the base of a reel thereto, a connecting bar-like member located between the median portions of said upper and lower members and curved lengthwise and providing a finger-grip, the rear end of said lower member having a transverse bearing formed therein, a primary leverhaving a reach portion disposed alongside of and operatively associated with said lower member, having a finger-piece at its forward end adjacent and opposed to said finger-grip, and having a lateral rock shaft at its rear end mounted for rotation in said transverse bearing, said reach position and rock shaft being provided at the junctional portions thereof with a de pending trip finger, a secondary lever having a journal at its upper end mounted for rotation in a bearing provided therefor in said transverse bearing, having a lower free end portion fashioned for cooperating with a push button, and also having an oblique angled intermediate portion adjacent to and with which said trip finger has thrust and camming contact, and, in combination, a cradle substantially enclosing said transverse bearing and having bearing holes at its ends mounted for rotation on cooperating portions of said rock shaft, said rock shaft passing through said bearing holes and serving to removably lock the cradle in its operating position, said cradle being provided with a depending screw threaded member and said screw threaded member being adapted to accommodate a readily attachable and detachable alternate-type secondary lever.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,353,816 Abbott Sept. 28, 1920 2,342,993 Wright Feb. 29, 1944 2,648,505 Mauborgne Aug. 11, 1953 2,714,272 Tuttle Aug. 2, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 520,693 Canada Jan. 17, 1956 916,956 France Dec. 20, 1946 969,543 France Dec. 21, 1950 

